Guitar

Acoustic Steel String Guitars

My guitars are designed to have a loud balanced tone that is continuous across the whole range like a good mandolin or violin. This is a big asset for fingerpicking, lead playing, and studio recording.

I describe my current guitars as steel string classicals because I am after the punch, clarity and note separation that defines a good classical guitar. These guitars give a full sound with low tension strings.

Here is a link to my page about bracing.

This is an early prototype Blackwood short scale guitar is my current stage guitar and is designed for a dry fingerpicking sound.

In the short scale version the neck is 1 fret shorter and the body is slightly smaller. The acoustics of this guitar give it the power of a full size but without a full bass. I actually prefer this size as the lack of a big bass makes it more suitable for stage and studio.

Because of the efficiency of the soundboard design, the short scale does not mean a loss of volume. In fact, all my guitars can be capoed up high without any tone or sustain loss.

Another advantage of short scale guitars is that the strings are a lower tension without having to use thin gauge strings. To your fingers, it feels a lot like playing a nylon string.

More info and specs

My guitars are currently made from Tasmanian Blackwood with WR Cedar or Blackwood soundboards. Fingerboards are Indian Rosewood. Bridge is Blackwood or Rosewood. Full scale is 644mm (25 3\8") and short scale is 608mm (24").

My standard string spacing at the bridge is 58mm between E strings. (about classical guitar standard) The pickups that I use are custom made by K&K. They have a classical width, but are balanced for steel strings. I charge $120aud to supply and fit one.

My standard nut size is 44mm (about 7.5mm between strings) which is slightly wider than steel string width but not as wide as a classical. These widths are my optimum for speed and accuracy but can be altered for individual needs. Frets are stainless steel which means that they will probably never need replacing.

I put fret markers on the side of the fingerboard and not on the front (5, 7, 12 and octaves). I have always objected to dots on the front of the fingerboard on the basis that, if you can see them, you are holding the guitar badly.